THE HOLY SPIRIT In Isaiah 8:20 the Scripture says, "Let us go to the law and to the testimony; if they speak not ac cording to this word, surely there is no light in them." This, then, will be our basis for teaching. erroneously used to describe this blessed and very real person. The verses shared earlier reveal this. Such is not to be found in the orig inal.
Dr. A. T. Robertson, a Greek scholar, reported, "It is a grave mistake to use the neuter word 'it' or 'itself' when one refers to the Holy Spirit. The word for spirit may be a neuter noun, however, the Greeks often use the neuter, as we do, in referring to persons." This could be illustrated by a com ment such as, "The child of John Jones is noted for 'its' fine behav iour." We are still referring to a very real person. How would you like to have someone refer to you as "it"? It is a grave mistake to do so with the Holy Spirit. Our Lord in His upper room talks recorded by John, uses the personal pro noun in reference to the coming of the Holy Spirit (John 16:8, 13). There are many references in this fashion. Some religious cults hold to the idea that the Holy Spirit is the out going of divine energy. They con- Page 47
When one allows himself to be carried away by feelings instead of the infallibble Word of Cod, he puts himself under the possibility of invasion by evil powers. In the list of the Spirit's fruits found in Galatians 5:22 and 23, we find that one important aspect is "self- control." First of all, let us underscore this wonderful truth that the Holy Spir it is a Person. Some may be con fused because of His name trans- later in the King James Version as "Holy Ghost." That last word con jures up in the minds of some an apparition or phantom-like shape. It may suggest something as intan gible as the wind. In the New Tes tament the Greek word is "pnue- ma" the original usage is applied to breath or wind. Then, too, there has been confusion because of the pronoun "it" which is sometimes
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